The Evil One

While not too entirely sure of what was happening to her, Airy clutched the broken and warped clover-shaped locket under one arm and swam forward through the starry darkness. Moments ago it had been nothing but a suffocating pitch around her. She wasn’t even certain if her eyes were being forcefully kept shut and then became surprised when she realized that she could still feel her eyes- along with her arms, legs, wings, and everything else.

Then she felt an intense pressure growing steadily in her chest. Her head began to throb. Airy knew she wasn’t beneath the sea, but if she lingered her any longer, she would explode. Maybe she wouldn’t, but she already felt like she had been snapped and broken until her bones had been made into a powder. Her arms and legs screamed in exhaustion, but her heart and brain were louder.

You’re alive! Get out of here! Survive! You’ve been through much worse!

Airy wasn’t so sure if she had.

Soon the darkness was completely gone, replaced with a sheet of various blues, greens, and purples dotted with lights. It was like she was swimming through a sea of miniature versions of herself. Tattered wings continued to carry her forward, but they soon began to slow in their flapping. Eventually, her brain was telling her to stop. Everything hurt and she just wanted to rest for a bit.

So Airy stopped.

But that didn’t mean her journey had also halted. No, Airy continued to slowly inch forward, and then a sensation like a great breath pushed her toward a sphere of golden light. It enveloped her completely and for the first time in days, her smile was truly peaceful.

It vanished the second she bounced off the first tree branch.

Swearing and crying, Airy fell until she landed on a carpet of grass. The apple tree behind her was dotted with several dozens of bright red apples. Behind it was the night sky. Airy lifted her head up an inch to see a large city up ahead, pointed towers reaching toward the stars. The minute action was enough to drain her stamina for the moment, causing the fairy to huff and puff. The pendant was lying a few feet from her, but she paid it no mind.

Questions were swimming through her mind like fish. Why am I still alive? Where am I? WHEN am I? What happened to Lord Ouroboros? Did he succeed? Why did he do that to me? Wasn’t I always your faithful and humble servant? Why can’t I feel my power- Airy’s train of flooding thoughts abruptly ended once she saw the apple next to her.

She had never felt hungrier than she did until now. She flipped onto her side and dragged herself over to it, arms wailing in pain, but she paid no attention. Her stomach felt like someone had carved out her midsection with a knife. It was time to fill it.

Airy ate and ate until barely anything remained of the core. Now nothing but a spindly winged figure hugging a pale round orb, she let out a yawn. Her dress may have resembled a blouse at this point, but she was beyond the point of caring. Nestled against the warm grass, Airy hiccuped and fell right into a slumber as heavy as her stomach.

She would figure out what was going on in the morning, of course.

ooc: Tag dump!